Talk Radio Networks Sues Dial Global

Talk Radio Networks (TRN) has filed a lawsuit against competing syndicated radio company Dial Global, claiming it is a monopoly and has violated anti-trust rules. The suit was officially filed by The Original Talk Radio Network, Inc., Talk Radio Network Enterprises, LLC and Talk Radio Network-FM, Inc. and claims that Dial Global has a monopoly in sales for independent Talk radio which could cause a “second generation monopoly.” The suit also notes that the “recent destruction of CNN Radio (which was on over 1,100 radio stations in the U.S. and had operated for over 20 years), going into a Presidential election in favor of its immediate replacement by a branded news operation, at the election of its sales representatives, is a telling example of the threat posed by the ability of a small handful of unelected Wall Street executives who have achieved sufficient dominance in one sales market to force changes in the separate independent spoken word market, and the threat posed to other independent spoken word syndicators absent prompt corrective actions.”

TRN CEO Mark Masters said in a statement , “This is a sad but necessary day for us. But the steps we take today are for the sake of the entire community of independent spoken word syndicators, and independent radio networks who depend on outside sale representation for their very financial survival.”

Masters adds that he hopes TRN’s lawsuit “signals a beginning of the end to active monopoly and anti-competitive actions within radio’s independent spoken word syndication markets.”